When to Visit Mauritius

Mauritius is great all year round with moderate temperatures and occasional rainfall. Its western and northern regions are warmer and drier than the eastern and southern ones with the coastal region being 3 to 5° higher.

Summer, from November to April, is hot and humid with welcome rainfall occurring mostly during February and March. This is when flights to Mauritius are in demand. Typical daylight hours have sunrise from 5.30 a.m. to sunset at 7 p.m. This also is the season for cyclones but beach resorts are designed to withstand these strong winds which mostly pass by the island. December to March, with the waters at their clearest is the best time to go scuba diving and deep sea fishing.

Winter on the island is May to October with cooler temperatures and wind from the east and south-east. During August, low temperatures of around 20°C are experienced with typical daylight from 6.45 a.m. to 5.45 p.m. The months from June to August provide the best surfing conditions and are ideal for outdoor activities, also affording better hotel rates in a more relaxed atmosphere with less crowding.

Getting Around

Buses operate throughout the island with express services from Port Louis to the south, north and major towns. Services operate from 5.30 a.m. to 8 p.m. in urban areas while in rural areas operational hours are from 6.30 a.m. to 6.30 p.m.

Taxies can be hailed in the street or found at hotels and bus stations or you can rent a motor vehicle, bicycle or scooter giving you total freedom to explore the island at your own pace.

Getting to and from ‘Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport’ (SSR):

‘Taxis Mauritius’ is based at the airport with friendly English and French speaking drivers but should you prefer your own vehicle there is ‘Avis car hire’, ‘Europcar’, ‘Sixt’ and ‘Hertz’, all based at the airport. For a luxury transfer, either by vehicle or helicopter, ‘Mauritius Airport Transfers’ are at your service.

Inside Information

Take an enchanting walk through the beautiful ‘National Botanical Gardens’;
Indulge in unadulterated enjoyment with a day trip to the private island of ‘Ile des Deux Cocos’;
The popular ‘Crocodile & Giant Tortoises Park’, home to a marvellous variety of reptiles and animals has children squealing in delight;
A visit to the ‘Sugar Museum and Factory’ provides understanding why sugar was as valuable as gold in olden times;
A tour of ‘Eureka House’, rich in history with magnificent gardens, gurgling waterfalls and river banks home to a variety of water lilies will have you in your element as you encounter one of Mauritius’ largest residences, previously owned by French and British aristocrats and built in 1830;
The ‘Château de Labourdonnais’, constructed mainly from teak during the 1850s offers you a worthwhile tour of the château, its gardens and orchards, the ‘Rhumerie des Mascareignes’, where rum lovers can observe old rum producing techniques and end off their tour with a tasting of a distillery or orchard product at the ‘Tasting Bar’;
Tea lovers will be intrigued with a visit to ‘Saint Aubin House’ built in 1819 and ‘Bois Chéri’, the biggest tea producer in Mauritius today;
Hire a helicopter for that awe inspiring aerial view of the island with ‘Air Mauritius’ and the ‘Police Force of Mauritius’.